An Apology From The Governor

February 01, 2000

It's an unwelcome reality these days that any action taken by Gov. George Ryan will be colored by the massive license-selling scandal surrounding his term as secretary of state. The scandal has placed that great a burden on his capacity to govern.

As commendable as his decision was to impose a moratorium on the death penalty, one can't avoid speculating whether the need for a dramatic act to draw attention away from the scandal played a role in the decision. The same questions are bound to shape reaction Wednesday to his State of the State address.

It's now a legitimate question to ask if George Ryan will be able to put this behind him and regain public trust in his capacity to govern the state.

Ryan last week started the process by acknowledging he shoulders the blame for this scandal. "I apologize to the people of this state because it happened on my watch and the responsibility is mine," he said. That's a start, at least, in attempting to convince the public that he understands the gravity of this affair.

There's not much more the governor can say about it for now, and there's little he can do to repair the secretary of state's office. That's no longer his job; the work falls on Secretary of State Jesse White. What Ryan can do, and what he has at least taken steps to accomplish, is run the state government and his political operation in a manner above reproach.

The fate of Ryan's administration depends not on what he has to say. It depends on what further evidence is produced in the federal investigation of the selling of driver's licenses and, in some cases, funneling of the proceeds into Ryan's political coffers. All Ryan can do is cooperate in that investigation and see what results.

At best, the investigation will substantiate Ryan's contention that he was unaware of the massive corruption scandal, even though the expected indictment of his former inspector general suggests that knowledge reached very high into his administration. That's an unhappy best-case scenario, but it is preferable to the worst case: That the federal probe will produce evidence Ryan did, in fact, know about or participate in the illegal activity and any effort to cover it up. If that turns out to be the case, it would mean Ryan not only was aware of corruption but misled the public about his knowledge. He will have forfeited the right to lead the state.

The governor insists he had no such knowledge or role. Let's hope that is true, because if it is not, the consequences will be grave.